practical wireless số 2006 01

Indian Adventure Amateur Radio Abroad Indian Adventure Amateur Radio Abroad January 2006 £3.00 pwp pwp Build The Kilve Direct Conversion Receiver Doing It By Design Looking at Transmit Matching Networks Electronic Keying G3BIK’s Project PW Cover Jan 2006 22/11/05 12:24 pm Page 1 w&s 21/11/05 9:21 am Page 2 w&s 21/11/05 9:22 am Page 3 w&s 21/11/05 9:23 am Page 4 Copyright © PW PUBLISHING LTD. 2005. Copyright in all drawings, logos, photographs and articles published in Practical Wireless is fully protected and reproduction in whole or part is expressly forbidden. All reasonable precautions are taken by Practical Wireless to ensure that the advice and data given to our readers are reliable. We cannot however guarantee it and we cannot accept legal responsibility for it. Prices are those current as we go to press. Published on the second Thursday of each month by PW Publishing Ltd., Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 8PW. Tel: 0870 224 7810. Printed in England by Holbrooks Printers Ltd., Portsmouth P03 5HX. Distributed by Seymour, 86 Newman Street, London , W1P 3LD, Tel: 0207-396 8000, Fax: 0207-306 8002, Web: http://www.seymour.co.uk. Sole Agents for Australia and New Zealand - Gordon and Gotch (Asia) Ltd.; South Africa - Central News Agency. Subscriptions INLAND £32, EUROPE £40, REST OF WORLD £49, payable to PRACTICAL WIRELESS, Subscription Department. PW Publishing Ltd., Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 8PW. Tel: 0870 224 7830. PRACTICAL WIRELESS is sold subject to the following conditions, namely that it shall not, without written consent of the publishers first having been given, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade at more than the recommended selling price shown on the cover, and that it shall not be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or in any unauthorised cover by way of Trade, or affixed to or as part of any publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever. Practical Wireless is Published monthly for $50 per year by PW Publishing Ltd., Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 8PW, Royal Mail International, c/o Yellowstone International, 87 Burlews Court, Hackensack, NJ 07601. UK Second Class Postage paid at South Hackensack. Send USA address changes to Royal Mail International, c/oYellowstone International, 2375 Pratt Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-5937. The USPS (United States Postal Service) number for Practical Wireless is: 007075. This first issue of PW for 2006 is packed with interesting features including, as our cover shows, the Kilve receiver project designed by Tim Walford G3PCJ and a look at Amateur Radio abroad in Henryk Kotowski SM0JHF’s Indian adventure. So, settle down, put your feet up and enjoy your monthly dose of radio reading. Design: Steve Hunt Main photograph: Henryk Kotowski SM0JHF Inset photograph: Tex Swann G1TEX Cover subject 17 Doing It By Design This month Tony Nailer G4CFY takes a look at Transmit Matching Networks and, as is his usual style - he’s aiming to take the mystery out of the design process. 20 Radio Basics Continuing with the antenna theme started last month, Rob Mannion G3XFD further encourages readers to enjoy the radio hobby, demonstrating just how useful relatively simple antennas can be! 22 India Revisited Henryk Kotowski SM0JHF recounts his travels to India where he met some great characters and experienced Amateur Radio being used in a crisis situation. 26 K is for Kilve! - The Receiver Join Tim Walford G3PCJ at his designer’s desk as he shares his design for a useful receiver for use on the h.f. bands. There’s even a kit available to buy, so you’ve no excuse not to have a go at building one! 36 Carrying on the Practical Way This month its ‘chips with everything’ as George Dobbs G3RJV experiments with single chip projects. 38 The Secret Antenna Bob Harry G3NRT reveals his ‘secret antenna’ for use on the h.f. bands, constructed from a rotary garden clothes line! 42 Ram Raiders Woolly operating procedures could be afoot in Steve Mahony VK5AIM’s tale of Amateur Radio in Australia! But read on and you’ll soon discover its all to do with direction finding sheep! 7 Keylines Topical chat and comments from our Editor. This month Rob Mannion G3XFD looks at Amateur Radio in crisis situations, insurance for portable operating and forthcoming club visits. 8 Amateur Radio Waves You can have your say! There’s a varied and interesting selection of letters this month as the postbag’s bursting at the seams again with readers’ letters. Keep those letters coming in and making ‘waves’ with your comments, ideas and opinions. 9 Amateur Radio Rallies A round-up of radio rallies taking place in the coming months. 10 Amateur Radio News & Clubs Keep up-to-date with the latest news, views and product information from the world of Amateur Radio with our News page - the news basket’s been overflowing so, there’s a bumper dose this month. Also, find out what your local club is doing in our club column. 52 VHF DXer This month David Butler G4ASR rounds up your autumnal DX logs. 54 HF Highlights Carl Mason GW0VSW has the latest news from the h.f. bands with help from your reports and logs. 56 Data Burst The weather plays a big part in Amateur Radio operating as Jack Weber explains as he takes his turn at the Data Burst desk. 58 Book Store If you’re looking for something to complement your hobby, check out the biggest and best selection of radio related books anywhere in our bright and comprehensive revamped Book Store pages. 61 Bargain Basement The bargains just keep on coming! Looking for a specific piece of kit? Check out our readers’ ads, you never know what you may find! 64 Subscriptions Want to make sure you don’t miss a single issue of your favourite radio read then why not subscribe to PW in one easy step? 65 Topical Talk The PW team value all the feedback received from readers. Rob G3XFD reminds readers not to be shy about letting us know your ideas. january 2006 contents features regulars January 2006 On Sale 8 December Vol.82 No.1 Issue 1185 (February Issue on sale 12 January) Published by PW Publishing Limited Arrowsmith Court Station Approach BROADSTONE Dorset BH18 8PW Directors: Stephen Hunt & Roger Hall Editorial Department ☎ 0870 224 7810 Fax: 0870 224 7850 Editor Rob Mannion G3XFD/EI5IW rob@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Production Editor Donna Vincent G7TZB/M3TZB donna@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Technical Editor NG (Tex) Swann G1TEX/M3NGS tex@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Art Department ☎ 0870 224 7820 Fax: 0870 224 7850 Art Editor Stephen Hunt steve@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Typesetting Peter Eldrett peter@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Sales Department Fax: 0870 224 7850 Advertisements Roger Hall G4TNT roger@pwpublishing.ltd.uk ☎ 0207 731 6222 Advertisement Administration Joan Adams joan@pwpublishing.ltd.uk ☎ 0870 224 7820 Book Orders Clive Hardy G4SLU clive@pwpublishing.ltd.uk ☎ 0870 224 7830 NEW Subscription Administration Webscribe Practical Wireless Subscriptions PO Box 464 Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 2UR, UK pw@webscribe.co.uk www.webscribe.co.uk ☎ 01442 879097 Fax: 01442 872279 Finance Department ☎ 0870 224 7840 Fax: 0870 224 7850 Finance Manager Alan Burgess alan@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Finance Assistant Margaret Hasted PW Publishing Website www.pwpublishing.ltd.uk All our 0870 numbers are charged at the BT Standard National Rate 46 Antenna Workshop David Butler G4ASR PW’s VHF DXer columnist, has been busy putting the Swedish manufactured Vårgårda 3-element 50MHz Yagi antenna to the test. 48 The G3BIK AD2005 Try your hand at Ed Chicken MBE, G3BIK’s simple to make Programmable Integrated Circuit (PIC) keyer project. Practical Wireless 5 Page 36 Page 26 Page 22 05 Contents 23/11/05 11:44 am Page 5 With all the best features, articles, news and reviews from two superb magazines together in one place, radiouser will not only be a terrific read but also marvellous value for money. On sale 22 December 2005. Only £3.25 PW Publishing Ltd., Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 8PW, UK pwp pwp incorporating the very best of short wave magazine & radio active ™ & Scanning Scene ShortWaveMagazine Military Matters: Kevin Paterson looks behind the scenes at three Special Forces Operations in the UK. Scanning Scene: Bill Robertson dips into the latest Tetra news on the Fire and Rescue services with plenty of frequencies to try. In-depth Reviews: The Elad FDM-77 is an all-mode HF software defined radio. Chris Lorek takes a close look at what this piece of kit can do. Airband Basics: Godfrey Manning goes Sky High and explains all you need to know to enjoy airband listening. Scanning in Action: As the Lake District is one of the UK's most popular locations for mountain activities, we look at the work of the Mountain Rescue Teams. Broadcast Matters: Chris Brand will delve into the Long, Medium and Short Wave bands looking for the most interesting broadcast signals. Neighbourhood Wardens: Using GPS and two-way radio, Knowsley have made a real difference to the local community. We reveal how the system works. Off the Record: with Oscar the Engineer for a regular look at 'non-licensed' and underground radio broadcasts. New Products: All the latest and most interesting radios and accessories to interest the scanning, airband and broadcast listener. Comms from Europe: Simon Parker, based in Bulgaria, looks at CB and some of the record-breaking PMR 446 activities from Europe. Software Spot: All the latest and ver y best listening software compiled exclusively for the radiouser reader. Reviewed: A range of broadcast, DAB and satellite radios - and a few surprise gadgets too! Maritime Matters: All things marine from low frequency to satellite are covered by Robert Connolly, including lots of frequencies to try. Info in Orbit: Howard Long, AMSAT-UK committee member, looks at the world of the International Space Station. News: If it affects radio listeners from clubs to airshows and frequencies to new books, you'll read about it in radiouser. Feedback: Your letters. Got anything you want to share with other readers? Drop radiouser a line and start a debate. Join in: Join the radiouser E-mail Forum. Send an E-mail to radiouser-on@pwpublishing.ltd.uk and join like-minded readers in discussion, debate and information exchange. radiouser January 2006 issue. 84-pages filled to the brim with radio, radio and more radio! More columns, more features, more pages - everything the radio listener could possibly want in one magazine. Accept no imitations! Just look at what’s in this issue! 06 PW Jan promo 23/11/05 3:22 pm Page 1 T he appalling tragedies of the Mississippi Delta flooding in and around New Orleans in the USA, and the terrible devastation caused by the earthquakes in the Kashmir area straddling both the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the giant Indian Democracy - have made the unequally balanced situations painfully obvious. The unequal situations have become obvious due to the positive use of Amateur Radio in helping to provide emergency communications in the USA. On the other hand the unique emergency communications our hobby can provide when distress strikes - is seeminlgy minimised in the Indian Sub- Continent. To say I was dismayed at the lack of obvious, high profile Amateur Radio service assitance with communications on the India/Pakistan frontier - would be an understatement! Although the people I come across from those huge, disparate nations of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India are friendly people, there are cultures clashes. It’s particularly noticeable with Pakistan and Bangladesh, and most probably our hobby is viewed with suspicion, because of its open nature, as it’s of Western in origin and seen as a threat to Islam (it’s not of course!). However, I think India’s problem comes down to money and currency exchange difficulties, rather than an attitude problem. Personally, I grieve when I see the children and desperately poor parents eking an existence out on roads, railways stations and anywhere there’s shelter. I’m not impressed that - despite this poverty - both the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and India both have nuclear weapon capabilities! Readers may wonder what my opinions have to do with Amateur Radio? In answering I’ve got to be honest and say that the Military style regime in Pakistan seemingly has the needs of its people in the background, and doesn’t seem to encourage Amateur Radio. However, by not encouraging Amateurs they miss out on a remarkable effective - literally free- emergency communications service that would be backed up by Amateurs all over the world. Bearing in mind how useful a service Amateur Radio can be - without being a threat to national security in an emergency - I hope that pressure will be put of the Islamic state of Pakistan to prepare for the next disaster. They should greatly encourage Amateur Radio and introduce the freedom that comes with the hobby. In return Pakistan and the other impoverished (despite the nuclear capabilities) countries providing the teeming mass of humanity in the Indian Sub- Continent - they will benefit from a much improved very low cost emergency communications system from a dedicated group of people. Although not a natural sympathiser with any of the politics of the countries on the Sub- Continent, I would do my very best to help expand the hobby there and I’m sure the other Amateurs the world over would open their hearts and wallets to do the same. Let’s hope for a distinct change in attitudes. Event Insurance Problems? Have you had problems finding insurance for an Amateur Radio Event/Field Day or outing? If you have - I’d be most interested to hear from you. I’m planning to cover this subject soon- thanks to an enquiry from PW reader John Sims G0LJS who has alerted me to the problem (particularly the cost) of insurance for equipment/operations away from home. If you have concerns, information and advice - please contact me at PW. Thank you. Post Codes Please! Several readers have suggested it would help if rally organisers included the post codes of their venues publicised in PW. On reflection I think it’s a good idea. Not everyone has satellite navigation yet - but many of us look up maps and locations provided by Websites such as Streetmap UK, etc., requiring a post code When preparing for a PW visit, I always ask clubs to provide postcodes. This is so I can find them much more easily with a spot map on a website. So as from this issue, I ask rally/event organisers to provide postcodes to help wherever possible. However, those of you in the (generally post/district code free) Irish Republic need not worry - finding a rally in your country never seems to be a problem! Cockenzie & Port Seton I’m delighted to confirm that after a very long wait (for the club!) - I’ve been able to finalise an invitation to visit the Cockenzie & Port Seton Club on the outskirts of Edinburgh on Friday 24 March 2006. Flying to Scotland for club visits is now easier as book-ahead flights are cheaper - very much cheaper! My flight to Edinburgh is costing 34p each way - with £41 worth of taxes on top! Odd accounting eh? - but I’ll not criticise a system that’s allowing me to visit PW friends North of the Border. Hope to see you there - it’ll be a great 34p’s worth to meet everyone - despite the taxes! Rob G3XFD Looking at Amateur Radio used in crisis, insurance for portable operating and forthcoming club visits rob mannion’s keylines Practical Wireless 7 Welcome! Each month Rob introduces topics of interest and comments on current news Just some of the services Practical Wireless offers to readers Subscriptions Subscriptions are available at £33 per annum to UK addresses, £41 Europe Airmail and £50 RoW Airmail. Components For PW Projects In general all components used in constructing PW projects are available from a variety of component suppliers. Where special, or difficult to obtain, components are specified, a supplier will be quoted in the article. Photocopies & Back Issues We have a selection of back issues, covering the past three years of PW. If you are looking for an article or review that you missed first time around, we can help. If we don’t have the whole issue we can always supply a photocopy of the article. See page 59 for details. Placing An Order Orders for back numbers, binders and items from our Book Store should be sent to: PW Publishing Ltd., Post Sales Department, Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone Dorset BH18 8PW, with details of your credit card or a cheque or postal order payable to PW Publishing Ltd. Cheques with overseas orders must be drawn on a London Clearing Bank and in Sterling. Credit card orders (Access, Mastercard, Eurocard, AMEX or Visa) are also welcome by telephone to Broadstone 0870 224 7830. An answering machine will accept your order out of office hours and during busy periods in the office. You can also FAX an order, giving full details to Broadstone 0870 224 7850. The E-mail address is clive@pwpublishing.ltd.uk Technical Help We regret that due to Editorial time scales, replies to technical queries cannot be given over the telephone. Any technical queries by E-mail are very unlikely to receive immediate attention either. So, if you require help with problems relating to topics covered by PW, then please write to the Editorial Offices, we will do our best to help and reply by mail. practical wireless services Keylines and Services 21/11/05 4:21 pm Page 7 Practical Wireless 8 The Star Letter will receive a voucher worth £20 to spend on items from our Book or other services offered by Practical Wireless. What’s Wrong With AM? ● Dear Sir (Sorry Rob, ‘Sir’ is traditional, and I hate breaking with tradition!). I feel I must pass comment on Ray Howes G4OWY’s letter in the December issue of PW. So what’s wrong with publishing designs for a.m. equipment? It’s simple to build and get going, and a.m. is easy to receive on the simplest of receivers. Although f.m. is rather more in vogue, mainly, I suppose, because of its freedom from interference, but the receiving side is rather more tricky to build and set up. Certainly, digital is at the cutting edge of technology, but is as Tony Nailer G4CFY points out in Topical Talk, totally beyond the home constructor, and as a highly experienced professional, he should know! I do get rather annoyed with people who bang on about keeping up with the state of the art as we are supposed to be enjoying a very absorbing hobby, not trying to run a high- tech military communications system! I fear that a single-minded obsession with advanced technology is one of the reasons the RSGB has lost a lot of members. The average Radio Amateur just wants to be free to “do their own thing”, and we need lots of simple designs to encourage people to do just that. How would an impecunious 10-year old schoolboy feel after mastering the art of soldering, and getting to grips with Ohm’s Law, and longing to build something for himself, only to be told that he has either to master surface-mount and digital techniques or spend thousands of pounds on the latest all-singing all-dancing Oriental box-of-tricks? As a constructor with over half a century’s experience I can assure anyone planning to build their own gear, no matter how simple, that the satisfaction and knowledge to be gained is far in excess of that of merely using a ‘plug-in’ appliance. I would point out too, that our magazine is Practical Wireless and our hobby is ‘Amateur Radio’, not Commercial Wireless and Amateur Communications. ‘Practical’ means doing something for oneself, not leaving an army of robots in a Tokyo back street to do all the work, and ‘Radio’ implies the equipment itself, not just the operating of it. Just because a.m. (and s.s.b. too, as Mr. Howes seems to imply) is an ‘old’ system, there is no need to consign it to the scrap heap. I wonder what Mr. Howes feels about enthusiasts of other persuasions? Would he have all the lovingly restored old motor-cars one admires at shows towed away and crushed, just because they are not the latest boring, all-look-the-same offerings? Chippendale furniture chopped up for firewood just because it’s old? God forbid! What a bland and boring world this would become. We Radio Amateurs are very fortunate to be accorded the privilege of being allowed to design and build our own gear, unlike most other branches of radio, where type-approval is mandatory, and also of being allowed to use a whole range of transmission systems. So long live a.m., f.m., s.s.b., c.w., s.s.t v. , pulse, etc. There’s room enough for all! Incidentally, the reason the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), then the British General Post Office (GPO) and other licensing authorities had to ban ‘spark’ transmission is that it is inherently a very wide- band system, and serious interference was impossible to avoid. This does not apply to other systems, provided they are correctly set up. Many thanks for a great magazine! Chris Atkins G8AFA. Yetminster Dorset Cross In Kidderminster! ● Dear Editor What a load of rubbish Ray Howes G4OWY spouts in his letter about a.m. in last month’s letters page. He refers to it being the digital age and that a.m. should be banned just as Spark was. By his reckoning then we should also ban c.w., f.m. and s.s.b. We can all simply plug microphones into our computer and talk to the world via the digital comms link, the web and the green friendly echo-link. He believes we should just build s.s.b. sets. Does he not realise that many newcomers to the hobby have so little technical training and ability they cannot even build a c.w. transmitter, the simplest form of transmitter there is - let alone a sideband rig? Indeed, in the simple ratings the cw transmitter is obviously the simplest. Then comes the a.m. set, where audio can be squirted onto any point of the power amplifier stage and a.m. produced; control grid modulation, cathode modulation, screen grid modulation or plate modulation. In receiver terms the a.m. detector is the simplest to build, one diode, and Hey presto! It even beats c.w. reception as another oscillator in the form of b.f.o. is needed for that mode. Even f.m. needs a fancy discriminator to receive it. As for s.s.b. well, lattice crystal filters, balanced modulators, product detectors are required. On the simple scale this mode fails miserably. To suggest building a digital transmitter, well, that’s just ludicrous! If newcomers are to be encouraged into the hobby - in anything other than a simple CB radio operator role - then amateur radio waves Lead Free Solder ● Dear Rob Having just received my copy of the December 2005 magazine, I totally agree with you regarding the excellent quality of the ‘New Standard’ paper and printing. (The content is excellent also!). As a professional engineer, I subscribe to certain other magazines, the quality of which have sadly gone down over recent months. Not so with PW; even after receiving every issue since 1958, it still holds my interest. Long may it continue and prosper. I notice with interest the continuing ‘Pb-free’ (Lead free) saga. There seems to be much mis- information spread on this subject, but the EEC directive is fairly clear, that in certain areas, the use of lead - based solder will still be permitted. Exemptions have already been granted for Military and Medical use. However, for repairs to equipment marketed prior to the commencement of the ‘Ban’, the Directive states: “This directive does not apply to spares for the repair or the re-use of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market before July 2006”. In addition it should be noted, that certain high - melting point lead based solders, as used for instance in solder pots, (for tinning leads, etc.) are also exempt. Therefore it cannot be totally illegal to sell solder containing lead, after July 2006, where it is to be used for the above purposes. In essence then, repair to older equipment, can, and will need to be carried out using traditional lead-based solder. This will be necessary, as the two varieties do not happily mix, due to their different melting points. However, this does not let us completely off the hook, as construction of new equipment, and repairs or modifications to equipment manufactured after July 2006, will require us to use the new lead - free solders. We shall have to get used to the joints looking as if they were made by a beginner! I personally have two solder stations in use, for each of the two solder types, this saves confusion. Regards to everyone at PW. Dave Stone G8NGF Westbury Shropshire Editor’s comment: Nice to hear from you again Dave! I’ve passed on your comments to Steve Hunt (Art Editor) and the rest of the staff. It’s very interesting to hear - from a professional - regarding the lead free saga. We are planning a major article on the topic in 2006, and it will provide the most up-to-date information, advice and news of techniques from an Author working in the industry. However, as Dave suggests - we mustn’t panic! Don’t throw that old iron away and don’t worry about solder supplies! Letters Jan 21/11/05 4:35 pm Page 8 Practical Wireless 9 A great deal of correspondence intended for ‘letters’ now arrives via E-mail, and although there’s no problem in general, many correspondents are forgetting to provide their postal address. I have to remind readers that although we will not publish a full postal address (unless we are asked to do so), we require it if the letter is to be considered. So, please include your full postal address and callsign with your E-Mail. All letters intended for publication must be clearly marked ‘For Publication’. Editor Letters Received Via E-mail Letters Received Via E-mail construction of a.m. receivers and transmitters are an easy entry point and is one that should be promoted. If you wish to be a computer ‘geek’ then maybe the hobby of Amateur Radio is not for you. Buy a mobile ‘phone! (and pay for the calls! Ed.) Ben Nock G4BXD Kidderminster Worcestershire Winter Radio Projects ● Dear Editor Each winter I aim to build at least one radio related project. This winter I’ve elected to build a three valve a.m. 1.8MHz ‘Top Band’ transmitter. However, having just read the comments of Ray Howes G4OWY, I feel obliged to defend my interest in valves and amplitude modulation. Before doing so, I agree with one point that Ray made; this is the digital age. And I confess to being an early user of packet radio and computer logging, as well as building a number of solid state projects. However, I think it’s important to keep alive older modes and construction techniques, if for no other reason than it is of interest to some. Furthermore, it’s far easier to design, construct and diagnose faults in a.m. equipment. If Ray’s views were transposed to other hobbies, such as classic and vintage vehicles, am I to assume that I will be banned from using my Triumph, Norton and Velocete motorcycles on the road just because they’re old technology? Similarly, on the occasions I’ve been involved with special event stations, it’s the older radios I have on display that draw onlookers, especially children (More so when they get to twiddle the knobs). There’s something magical that draws people to older radios, perhaps the warm welcoming red glow from the heaters, not the clinical clean lines of some digi-box. If we take digital modes to the extreme, then we would all be using Skpye, E-QSO or similar on our computers. Hardly as exciting as pulling out a weak DX station on equipment you have built yourself. Amateur Radio is many things to many people. I get rather tired when certain groups and individuals try to force their preferred mode or views on us all, or even suggest that modes they consider to be out dated be banned. Incidentally, noting your item about the field telephones (‘Fun With Fones’ in the December issue of PW), I’ve built many such sets over the years since first coming across the same design in a PW publication several years ago. Four pairs are now in regular use on Tristan da Cunha. Andy ZD9BV and his wife have a pair between their house and Andy’s mother-in - law as she is now into her eighties. So, PW projects find a use in the remotest of Islands where they’re much appreciated! Colin Topping GM6HGW Newport on Tay Scotland The Future Is Digital ● Dear Editor I have to take issue with the statement in Topical Talk by Tony Nailer G4CFY that “digital communications does not lend itself to home construction”. I can’t agree - for really simple digital projects just look at the SoftRock40 kit. This is a receiver that’s incredibly simple to construct yet when hooked up to the standard household PC can receive everything from a.m. and c.w. through to advanced digital modes such as digital radio mondiale (DRM). The PSK-31 kits for 14MHz are another example of easy to assemble digital communications projects. I am glad to see that PW is going to be producing some s.s.b. projects. By it’s very nature s.s.b. is ideal for use in digital comms. Just hook up an s.s.b. transceiver project to a PC and you can immediately use Digital SSTV, PSK-31 and Digital Voice using free software such as WinDRM http://n1su.us/windrm/ By the way WinDRM is far better for use on Top Band than narrow band f.m. (n.b.f.m.). Let’s face it a.m. broadcast stations will be shutting down in five-ten years time to be replaced by DRM. The future is digital, but digital is also simple, well within the scope of the home constructor, there’s nothing to be afraid of! Trevor M5AKA Chelmsford Essex 2006 February 5 21 South Essex ARS Rally Website: www.southessex.ars.btinternet.co.uk The 21th South Essex Amateur Radio Society, Radio & Computer Rally will be held at the Paddocks Community Centre, Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex. (The Paddocks is situated at the end of the A130). Doors Open 1030. February 26 Swansea ARS Amateurr & Radio Computer Show Contact: Roger GW4HSH Tel: (01792) 404422 The Swansea ARS rally is being held today at Afan Lido, Aberavon Seafront, Poert Talbot, One mile from J41 off the M4. Opening at 1030 the rally will offer plenty for visitors including trade stands, Bring & Buy, Special Interest Groups, Repeater Groups, Catering and Talk-in on 145.550MHz. March 11 Junction 28 QRP Rally Contact: Russell Bradley G0OKD Tel: (01773) 783394 E-mail: russel.bradley@ntlworld.com The 6th Junction 28 QRP Rally hosted by the The South Normanton Alfreton And District Amateur Radio Club (SNADARC) in Association with the G-QRP Club takes place at the Village Hall Community Centre, Market Street, South Normanton, Nr Alfreton, Derbyshire.The event will be fully signed, just five minutes from the M1 Junction 28 and the A38. Open to the public from 1000. There will be Amateur Radio, electronics and related items, Bring & Buy and special interest group stalls, outdoor flea market (weather permitting), refreshments. March 12 Aberystwyth Rally Contact Ray GW7AGG Tel: (01970) 611432 E-mail: ray@clocktower.go-plus.net The Aberystwyth Rally Hobbies Fair with Amateur Radio, computers, model railways, model aircraft and doll’s houses takes place at Penweddig School, Aberystwyth from 1000 until 1630. There will be h.f. and v.h.f. on the air, hobbies demonstrations, trade stands and special interest groups, refreshments and Talk-in on S22. March 12 Wythall Radio Club 21st Annual Radio & Computer Rally Contact: Chris G0EYO Tel: (07710) 412819 E-mail: g0eyo@blueyonder.co.uk Website: www.wrcrally.co.uk The Wythall Radio Club 21st Annual Radio & Computer Rally takes place at the Woodrush Sports Centre, Shawhurst Lane, Hollywood, Nr Wythall, Birmingham B47. There will be plenty of radio and computer traders, massive Bring & Buy, refreshments, good on-site, parking. Only two miles from J3 M42. The rally will be open from 1000-1500 and will be under cover in the sports halls. Admission: £1.50. Talk-in on S22 and the location will be well sign posted. Bookings are now being taken and traders are advised to book early. May 1 22nd Dartmoor Radio Rally Contact: Rob 2E0ONO Tel: (01752) 773711 The Dartmoor Radio Rally is taking place at the Tavistock College, Tavistock, Devon, this is the same locaton as last year with plenty of space for traders. There will be disabled access and plenty of parking on the college site. Featuring trade stands, Bring & Buy, refreshments and Talk-in on S22. Doors open 1030 (1015 for disabled visitors). Note to Rally Organisers: Please include the postcode of your rally venue (see Keylines). If you’re travelling a long distance to a rally, it could be worth ‘phoning the contact number to check all is well, before setting off. Radio rallies are held throughout the UK. They’re hard work to organise so visit one soon and support your clubs and organisations. amateur radio rallies Letters Jan 21/11/05 4:35 pm Page 9 A comprehensive look at what’s new in our hobby this month amateur radio news&products Scarborough Special Events T he Scarborough Special Events Group have ended their 2005 series of special event stations with GB2OO to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. The QSL card for the event shows Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory at dusk. Members of the Scarborough Special Events Group are looking forward to taking part in more events during 2006. Keep an eye on their website www.sseg.co.uk for news as the events are announced. Winter Schedules M any International shortwave broadcasters started their winter frequency schedules on 30 October 2005. The World DX Club has published a 12-page pamphlet listing the times and frequencies of their English broadcasts in country order. Over 100 broadcasters are listed and the pamphlet is constantly updated so that the information is as up to date as possible when you order. To order a copy send 50p or two International Reply Coupons to: Arthur Ward 17 Motspur Drive Northampton NN2 6LY Practical Wireless 10 In The Public Eye O ver the last few months members of Norfolk Amateur Radio Club (NARC) have been busy demonstrating amateur radio at public events across Norfolk. In July NARC took to the air with GB6NAS from Seething Observatory as part of Norwich Astronomical Society’s (NAS) 60th anniversary celebrations. Over the course of one weekend 332 QSOs were made with amateurs around the world, with one of the notable contacts being with GM4DLG, the Chairman of the Ayrshire Astronomical Society, who exchanged greetings messages with the Norwich Astronomical Society Chairman. In August 20 NARC members braved some of the best wintery summer winds the Norfolk coast could muster as they ran their second special event station of the year, activating Happisburgh Lighthouse for International Lighthouses Weekend. Three stations took to the air from the distinctive red and white lighthouses making over 350 contacts on all bands using voice, c.w.and datamodes. By September NARC were out and about once again, this time at Norfolk Police’s Gala day. This annual event attracts over 20,000 visitors and this year coincided with SSB field day, so not only did club members provide an extensive display of amateur radio past and present, but also participated in SSB field day enabling the clubs newer licensees to experience contest operating for the first time. After a busy 2005 NARC are already preparing for 2006 when they hope to activate a number of special event stations at public events around Norfolk. Norfolk Amateur Radio Club is a thriving organisation with over 80 members and anyone interested in radio, communications or electronics is welcome to join. The club meets weekly on Wednesday evenings from 1900 at the Norwich Aviation Centre, Norwich Airport. For more information about Norfolk Amateur Radio Club E-mail: pr@norfolkamateurradio.org Contacting the ISS O n Wednesday 9 November 2005 at 1747hrs, Students from Furtherwick Park School, Canvey Island, Essex chatted with astronauts orbiting the earth in the International Space Station, thanks to South Essex Amateur Radio Society (SEARS), Carlos Eavis G0AKI of the RSGB and Howard Long G6LVB of ARISS/Amsat UK The pupils used the callsign, GB2FPS and various Amateur Radio equipment to ask Commander Bill McArthur KC5ACR questions as the ISS passed 250 miles above the earth travelling at 28,000kph. Dave Speechley G4UVJ Chairman of SEARS said the students of Furtherwick Park School really enjoyed it, the School hall was packed, and was covered by all the local Media and BBC Essex Radio a great day was had by all. Afterall it’s not everyday you get a chance to speak to someone orbiting the earth! From left to right: Howard Long G6LVB, Dave Speechley G4UVJ, Carlos Eavis G0AKI and the Students of Furtherwick Park School. News & Clubs Jan 23/11/05 9:23 am Page 10 [...]... 10/12/15/17/20/30mtrs boom length 1.00m £239.95 www amateurantennas com 5 Postage is a maximum of £7.00 on all orders 5 (UK mainland only) Practical Wireless C F O Moonraker 15/11/05 11:29 am Page 15 Please mention Practical Wireless when replying to advertisements CALL MAIL ORDER 019 08 281705 (All galvanised) 6" Stand Off Bracket (complete with U Bolts) £6.00 9" Stand off bracket (complete with U Bolts) £9.00... “N-type” fittings.£24.95 MX2000 HF/VHF/UHF internal Tri-plexer (1.6-60MHz) (110-170MHz) (300-950MHz) .£59.95 CS 201 Two-way di-cast antenna switch Freq: 0-1000MHz max 2,500 watts SO239 fittings £14.95 CS 201- N Same spec as CS 201 but with N-type fittings £19.95 CS 401 Same spec as CS 201 but4-way .£39.95 Antennas Rotators AR-31050 Very light duty TV/UHF £24.95 AR-300XL Light duty UHF\VHF £49.95... sales@moonrakerukltd.com UNIT 12, CRANFIELD ROAD UNITS, CRANFIELD ROAD WOBURN SANDS, BUCKS MH17 8UR Practical Wireless 15 PICTURES ARE FOR REFERENCE ONLY Mounting Hardware www.amateurantennas.com sales@moonrakerukltd.com ALL FAX 019 08 281706 Opening times: Mon-Fri 9-6pm Moonraker 15/11/05 11:29 am Page 16 Please mention Practical Wireless when replying to advertisements Manufacturers of radio communication antennas... 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Club, visit their website at www.cpsarc.com/ For more information on the Amateur Radio Courses run by the club contact Bob Glasgow on (018 75) 811723 or send an E-mail to gm4uyz@cpsarc.com Braintree Club News Practical Wireless Clacton Radio Club Contact: G4AQZ Tel: (012 55) 429117 The Clacton Radio Club have moved their meeting venue to The Kingscliff Hotel 55 Kings Parade, Holland-on-Sea Meetings take... talk If you fancy joining in with the activities of the Braintree Club take a look at www.badars.org.uk or call John M5AJB on (017 87) 460947 Macclesfield Wireless Society Contact: Ron G0WUZ Tel: (016 25) 430433 E-mail: gx4mws@gx4mws.com Website: www.gx4mws.com The Macclesfield Wireless Society meets every Monday at 2000 hours, at the Pack Horse Sports & Social Club, Abbey Road, Macclesfield The weekly... Updates Carrying On The Practical Way, PW December 2005 Whoops, we managed to miss out a table from Carrying On The Practical Way by George Dobbs G3RJV, on pages 36 and 37 of the December 2005 issue of PW When creating the regenerative receiver, described by George, you should use the table of winding details shown here My apologies to all for leaving the table out Editor Practical Wireless Frequency range... 36/37 of the December 2005 Practical Wireless for more details 29 40, 41, 42 , 43 26/10/05 10:47 am Page 30 40, 41, 42 , 43 26/10/05 10:49 am Page 31 40, 41, 42 , 43 26/10/05 10:51 am Page 32 40, 41, 42 , 43 26/10/05 10:53 am Page 33 icom 15/11/05 11:26 am Page 34 icom 15/11/05 11:27 am Page 35 36 Practical Way Jan 22/11/05 2:53 pm Page 36 Chips with everything! Carrying On The Practical Way This month... SO239 SOCKETS £7.00 P&P Just simply adjust both controls for maximum signal, probably the best tuner available CALL MAIL ORDER 019 08 281705 Opening times: Mon-Fri 9-6pm sales@moonrakerukltd.com UNIT 12, CRANFIELD ROAD UNITS, CRANFIELD ROAD WOBURN SANDS, BUCKS MH17 8UR 16 Practical Wireless 17 Doing it By Design 21/11/05 4:46 pm Page 17 Transmit Matching Networks doing it by design This month Tony Nailer... find someone for the Scouts to exchange greetings with Despite the problems with our first JOTA, it was great fun and I will certainly be having another go next year So listen out for us next year! Practical Wireless News & Clubs Jan 23/11/05 9:23 am Page 13 Another Lynch First! amateur radio Y Keep up-to-date with your local club’s activities and meet new friends by joining in! aesu UK delivered their . £59.95 CS 201 Two-way di-cast antenna switch. Freq: 0-1000MHz max 2,500 watts SO239 fittings £14.95 CS 201- N Same spec as CS 201 but with N-type fittings £19.95 CS 401 Same spec as CS 201 but4-way. £49, payable to PRACTICAL WIRELESS, Subscription Department. PW Publishing Ltd., Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 8PW. Tel: 0870 224 7830. PRACTICAL WIRELESS is sold. Administration Webscribe Practical Wireless Subscriptions PO Box 464 Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 2UR, UK pw@webscribe.co.uk www.webscribe.co.uk ☎ 014 42 879097 Fax: 014 42 872279 Finance Department ☎